ADD: Style Guide
Milestone 21
February 1, 2014
© 2013 Sega – CONFIDENTIAL
Characters
Design Explorations
Sonic
The Hedgehog
Charge Attack
Jump Stomp Attack
The goal is to explore how to break up his
baked-in, down browed expression into
fuller range of emotions. As with full
body expressions starting with a few
heroic and masculine expressions
(determined, angry, skeptical) to cover
his legacy expressions, then explore the
wider ranges (concerned, scared,
melancholy) as well some fun ones (wtf
expression, laughing, smiling, sly, etc).
As for his uni-eye approach, let’s treat
them like Pixar’s Cars for brow
expressions in the way of letting the eye
lid shapes and where it pinches at center
meridian do the job.
knuckles
The Echidna
Revised Knuckles based on Iizuka-san’s Sonic Team suggested proportions. The main difference is less humanoid waist
and less defined lats. Revision 1 is an attempt to match these proportions in the Apollo style. The proportions on this
feel scaled up rather than brawnier anatomy fixed with reduced head and feet sizes, resulting in Revision 2. Sonic Team
then made subtle adjustment to reduce size, far left.
• Larger proportions ok, request to make less humanoid looking
• Sketch is suggestion for more preferred proportions
• Head size can be reduced further than in this sketch. Head size should remain the same proportion as current design;
about 4 or 4.5 head high.
• Ignore waist sash in design
Tails
The Flying Fox
Artist: Sylvain Deboissy
Artist: Yuhki Demers
Artist: Yuhki Demers
Artist: Travis Ruiz
Artist: Travis Ruiz
Amy
The Hedgehog
Shadow
Sticks
Lemonade feedback
• We agree about going back to the two-tone approach on ponytails from 5A.
• It's feeling a little too asymmetrical... There's so much going on with her
visually that she pops a little too much in the lineup. I
• love the purse! It makes her look like she's crazy.... which she sort of is, at
least fashion-wise. It makes her seem less like a warrior and more like a
weirdo who just doesn't get it.
• Could we remove the metal in her left shoe and have it be fully made out of
the beige buckskin that's already there, wrapped in some leather strips?
• The amount of color variation is contributing to her popping a little too
much in the lineup. We know we don't want to drop the two-tone
approach.... but we can reduce the color variation by simplifying the variety
of materials in her outfit? Maybe removing the metal from left shoe will help.
Q-n-c
Expression and pose studies
to ensure simplified shapes
can work in 3D.
Mayor Fink
Cliff
Initial pass focused more on “explorer” personality. These
are too close to Tails in look (now we know what Tails’
relatives look like!)
Focused more on his inventor side. Shape is taller and
thinner than Sonic to better play the “grown up” in the
group.
UPDATE: Iizuka-san feedback: The only inventors in this world
should be Tails and Eggman. Character approach ok, needs
to be an alternate occupation.
Hokey and Pokey
Salty & Pepper
Chef
Perci
Medic
Troubled Turtle
Villagers
Ambient Character Studies
Exploring other genders, ages and various laborers, classes and
artisans whom inhabit Apollo villages. Females have full outfits.
Villager guidelines- In order to make
team feel more special unique the
following is needed for villagers;
• No Hedgehogs or Echidnas
• Must have split eyes
• No primary colors, preferred more
earth tones or desaturated
secondary colors.
• Follow Sonic style of large head,
hands and feet, plus stilt-like legs
• Males will avoid having clothing
around stomach to lower tight
regions
• Will not have wrappings, reserved
only for main team to make
Final color options.
Eggman
Sonic Team requests wider design (above)
• Reduce neck, push head down a bit into collar. Head
becomes like a ball and socket set up
• Removal of goatee and hair (however, SOW liked)
• Keep wider Napoleon/Equestrian pants
• Add grey line or stripe somewhere in the pants
• Continue arm gadget exploration. Iizuka-san ok with
keeping on all the time
Metal Sonic
Too skeletal, looks weak. Thicker lower legs. Too similar to knee pads. More aerodynamic.
Getting closer.
Lyric
Text Finalist Candidate
Enemies
Enemy Color Styling
Energy shield variant
Modular arms suited for melee, with
variations above, final left.
Enemies
Troopers Furnace/Fridge
Enemies
Enemy #7- Ranged Grunt
Exploring underbody construction
when team removes outer
sections in combat.
Enemies
Enemy #5- Flyer Searcher Bot
Revised design consistent with new direction which better reflects Sonic’s graphic shapes, yet still plausibly built
with technology and has some personality. Unifying feature could be similar built eye and the center of its
intelligence and attitude.
Energy bomb grows on
bomb lever, and launches
towards player. The
design was meant to
evocative of slot machine
levers.
Enemies
Enemy #4- Sand Worm
(Mini-Boss)
Enemies
Tunnel Bot
(Mini-Boss)
Enemies
Golem
(Mini-Boss)
Enemies
Enemy #2- Rolling State Enemy
Enemies
Commando
Gunslinger
The Gunslinger is the fastest gunner robot in
the roster. He will dual wield his guns and be
able to fire in a multitude of patterns and
arrays to keep the player dodging and running
for their life.
Visual language will be mid level size and bulk a
bit taller than Sonic. He will have similar
simplified curve language- the staple among
Lyric’s forces.
Shotgunner
Enemies
Snakes
Enemies
Charger
Enemies
Puck
Enemies
Swarm Bot
Minions
Indigenous Creatures
Environment Explorations
Village
Sonics Village
Structure Exploration
-Shape
-Texture
-Functionality
-Character
More “building variation of huts on stilts exploration.
Feedback to Eytan:
Nice! How would you incorporate high-techy,
unexplained ring structures on them? Either from
Ancients time or villagers added them. With villagers,
they would be found tech, not made in same crude
style.
Exploring Ring themes as visual contrast to favela
structures.
Better blend of structures which are unique and distinctive for Guardians and Villagers.
Environment Explorations
Hub 01: Cliff’s Excavation Site
Visual Benchmark
(“Static Demo”)
VBM render targets
VBM render targets.
Will explore how
organically apply
iconic checker
pattern in this more
sophisticated setting.
Paintover look target for farm area near huts.
Environment Explorations
Tropical Beach
Exploration of iconic tropical beach setting as it could work in Apollo
These work well for suggesting loop shapes, but the patters is too simplistic as checker board and looks too deliberate. Having non-
repeating patterns like this will make it feel like an aesthetic art direction choice rather than a natural bi-product of the Ancients’ ability
to mold rock.
Our goal is to develop an pattern that could roughly pass for squares or checker board pattern in order to achieve our
“familiar but new” objectives. Generations did a good to push this, but remained much closer to legacy than we need to;
We need to push this further in Apollo
Combine that with a Mayan or Islamic like pattern,
in order to fit into our more complex
or anything that is more square patterned than
organic settings and art direction.
curved, and I think we’ll have Apollo’s unique
Basalt columns are the best example
signature.
of naturally developed patterns
Apollo treatment for Sonic’s iconic
checker board visual treatment
around tracks and loops. Addresses
the following;
• Track treatment as you’ve
explored
• Integration into surrounding
rocks
• Suggestion of beach elements like;
sand, palms, grasses, burms,
sand dunes, etc.
• Incorporate some form Ancients
structures to the scene ideally of
two scales (massive and small
enough to be viewable by scene
camera); towers, pillars, walls,
Guardian statues (fallen?)
Prototype WIP
environment source image
capture which was drawn
over to guide final
modeling targets
Environment Explorations
Ancients Structures
Present Condition
Art Brief:
Exploring Ancients’ structures,
temples, subterranean sections like
tunnels, mines, networks, etc. Our
goal here is to find an interesting
blend of “alien”, ancient technology
supported and not at odds with
nature, without getting too
medieval or sci-fi. I think focusing
on large scales and masses is the
key.
Object is to define;
• Generic Ancients’ structures,
shapes and surface properties of
piping, and technical
components. This pickups prior
work on towers influenced by
German bunkers.
• Ancients iconography of
guardians in wall and pillar
reliefs. How is technology
blended, how is it presented?
• With above language better
defined, bring it together in set
layout exploration.
Art Brief:
Exploring massive weathered
Guardian statues built from rock.
Guardians are anthropomorphic
with the same language as our
team as Hedgehogs.
Appropriate Influences could be
• Argonath Statues in Lord of the
Rings
• as combination of grand
structure in natural setting
• Gates of Xerxes of Persepolis or
wise and calm face of Buddha
statues for the Guardians.
These shapes work
better to capture
Ancients’ benevolent
technology.
Good look to further
advance.
Ideal use of scale, use of circles
as main Ancients’ shape. Feel
unique but still archetypal of
cathedral or places of wisdom.
Prototype WIP
environment source image
capture which was drawn
over to guide final
modeling targets
Full structure
Central courtyard
Right chamber,
bungee sling shot
game play.
Left chamber, bungee
drop game play.
Speed track, pre
assembly.
Speed track, pre
assembly.
First Pedestal of the Ancients
peaceful glade where team is
bestowed bungee slingshot
mechanic.
Ranger Grunt introduction
valley.
Second Pedestal of the
Ancients glade where team is
granted bungee yank ability.
Secret entrance into
underground chamber
requiring coop bungee yank
to open.
Further developed color key, with
exploration of a signature bi-
product for the worm such as dark
oil or green slime.
Blue gemstone path is a concept
for naturally occurring speed track
path.
Team then proceeds to fallen bridge section where they have to use bungee slingshot to traverse
Environment Explorations
Warthog Ruins
Towers that light up
with each shard
collected necessary to
open gate and
advance.
Relicts of Ancient dirigibles
from an old battle scatter
across the Warthog level with
hints of air battle and
floating fortress to come
later in act2.
Under water Orb housing towers,
lifted out of the water with player
success.
Exploring geological shapes in Warthog
and how they would differ from
adjoining Mystery Island
Exploring geological shapes in Warthog
and how they would differ from
adjoining Mystery Island
Environment Explorations
Warthog Ruins - Hokey And Pokey Dwelling
Environment Explorations
Warthog Ruins – Blimp Zone Challenge
Environment Explorations
Warthog Ruins - Underwater
Environment Explorations
Warthog Ruins – Laser Challenge
Environment Explorations
Lyric’s Dig Site
Road To Digsite/Boat Level
Environment Explorations
Environment Explorations
Ocean Waterfall
Environment Explorations
Mystery Island
Sections of this maze, built out of crystalline alabaster rocks, not unlike Fortress of Solitude
in shape, rise to become platforms. The color call out to the left shows how some of the
sections could move.
Environment Explorations
Ancient Temple Past/Present
Environment Explorations
Cloud City
Environment Explorations
Lyric’s Tomb
Environment Explorations
Lryic’s Lair
Props
DRC UI Concepts
Feedback to Armand:
Coloring is promising, but the surface patterning is starting to feel
really groovy sixties, man…like, far out. Best to have consistent
language for areas the team can stand/walk/run on with more the
checker patterning or basalt-like treatment in speed loops.
Treadmill
activates gate,
illuminations turn
on linking wheel
and gate with
glow line
Ancient “fences” used to indicate play
boundary.
Bottom row allows rails to stop momentum but Made of stone with metallic trim
will allow jump over if desired.
Final designs
Final designs.
Final designs.
First pass model proved to
be difficult to read under
poor lighting conditions.
Alternates.
Wall Targets are more
differentiated from
the Anchor Pads by a
diamond, triangle, or
some other shape in
the center.
Rotating platform with deadly obstacle spikes, preferably
energy based rather than traditional blade based spikes
Character Specific Props
Modal Weapons
Vehicles
First pass was Knuckle’s red, which
works best from consumer toy
perspective. However, as we’ve
determined Eggman pallet to be red
& black, revised
Production Paintings
Arc
During Team Drafting one team member leading the pack. The lead will create this visible speed draft zone in the form of an energy wake . Like
Nascar or any auto racing strategy, the team member in this energy wake will get a speed boost and will become the new leader. This format will
leap frog between team members to achieve max velocity.
Knuckles and Sonic use Bungee teamwork to bring down the Snow Worm hunter bot, giving Tails the opportunity to dislodge his
power source, while Amy holds other enemies.
While in Lyric’s foundry, the team has to use Team Drafting to spin the energy wheels, which then power all (color) related items
such as the central platforms which then can activate and rise to allow team to reach the rear chamber door.
Deep inside Ancients’ tunnels and caverns, the team has to solve environmental puzzles to continue their path.
The Team discovers path towards Ancients’ fortress.
First clue of Lyric’s sinister environmental plans discovered.
Discovery of the
Ancient Temple
Team races on assembling track in route to Mystery Island, surrounded by reverse ocean falls.
Team is ambushed by Lyric’s air armada in the attempt to take away the hidden Orb unearthed here.
Finding the Ancient Golem on Angle Island, long ago dismantled by Lyric.
Lyric’s robotic minions are quickly excavating a possible orb location.
Team triggers mechanism that splits ocean allowing them to traverse their way into the Keep.
Team looks on as the Ancients’ massive inter planetary communication temple is brought to life by Metal Sonic.
Sonic and Tails travel through time portal to retrieve a missing vital Golem component only found during its initial construction.
Zip lining through ancient abandoned ruins of Cloud City.
Production Paintings
Image following are proof of concept images during
Prototype phase of Project Apollo which were placed
on hold or dropped due to revised play mechanics.
Conveying the balance of
fast one on one melee
attacks and slower area
attacks. The players
need to figure out how
they're going to best use
these tools to deal with
big, varied groups of
enemies.
In the foreground, we
have our heroes trying
to block the stream of
minions (in this case,
trashcan grunts coming
over the bridge. Quite a
few have already crossed
over, so the team has to
mop these guys up first.
Knuckles charges into
the middle of the robots
coming over the bridge
and performs a big
ground pound move.
Sonic and Amy shoot
towards individual
enemies, smack them
and then zip towards
the next bad guy. Tails is
playing crowd control,
using his special attack
Rocket Launcher to keep
bad guys across the
bridge at bay. The
rocket explode on
contact and throw the
big brute into the air,
delaying his advance.
Split Screen!
Team has to cross the
canyon using team work.
Using Bungee sling shot
maneuver with Knuckles,
Tails has catapulted to
his destination of artifact
in Guardian statue across
canyon wall, causing
dynamic split screen in
local co-op play.
Amy is also using
Knuckles as anchor to
similarly sling shot across
to the next platform
across the canyon. (The
team will then tether to
her to advance across).
Sonic is keeping the
chasing Robots at bay
with his spin ball melee
moves.
Knuckles’ anchor icon lets
Tails know he can tether
back to Knuckles (shown
as WIP 3D dashed line,
orienting space for
players)
Team races for their lives as the newly awakened Ancient Golem mistakes them for his enemies.
