Background
References & Inspiration
At the start of this project, the biggest inspiration was the Monster Hunter franchise. Monster Hunter’s most unique aspects are based around the concepts of exploration and treating their titular monsters as real, living animals in the world. Fantasy media such as Dungeons and Dragons, along with speculative evolution books such as After Man were also used as reference during the design phase of this project.
The Vehicle
References
The vehicle used by the characters in (name pending) sourced inspiration from multiple places. The initial references were on sailboats and pontoons, as I had imagined a typical fantasy “desert sailboat”. However, my references shifted towards more scrappy, sci-fi motorcycles as the concept unfolded.
Sketching
The initial sketches stuck close to the idea of a boat designed for desert travel, before the idea of “What if it were a medieval dirt bike?” came into the mix.
Refined Drawings
With the general silhouette and basic mechanics laid out, it was time to proportion the bike. Rib count, wheel size and length were a few of the many changes made during this stage
Final Design & Model
The bike’s final design is proportioned to fit multiple people while still feeling sleek and speedy. The name “Whitewood Earwig” was given based on its similar shape to a monocar from the 1930s, and the earwig-like spines on the front and back
Driver’s seat
Broad wheels for traversing across sand
Front prongs act as a sort of cowcatcher
Steering mechanism
Storage area
Side platforms
The Expedition Team
References
While the characters themselves were already set from a previous project, they still needed to adapt to this desert environment. Baggy clothes, western outfits, wraps and cloaks were all referenced for the team’s new outfits.
Sketching
Each member of the team was outfitted with their own types of clothing. Their outfits were adapted depending on their role, but also their personalities and tools they used. For example, a magic user would need less restrictive clothing as their magic relies on a lot of bodily movement.
Concept Drawings
The concept drawings for the crew locked in their outfits, along with fleshing out their weapons and equipment
Finalized Designs
The finalized character designs of the main trio were designed and colored to reflect their roles and personalities. Liri’s cloak mixed with a chitin shoulder plate show her role as both the wizard and tank. Helane’s dark, hooded cloak would help with camouflage in the darkness, but also visually indicate her more reserved personality. Hadin’s scarf and goggles protect him in the driver’s seat against the torrent of sand, but also give him a fittingly eccentric appearance.
The Wildlife
References
There was a wide range of references when starting the design for the creature. Monitor lizards, aardwolves, golden moles and a plethora of fantasy animals were used as reference.
The initial sketches played around with each reference idea, however, the idea that finally stuck was a type of rat that had evolved to take the niche of a hyena. Perhaps this evolution was sped up by the excess of ambient mana in the region?
Sketching
While the idea of a “Devil Rat” was likely to be the final, some of the other concepts still progressed into part two of the concept phase.
Concept Drawings
With the designs more narrowed down, profile drawings were made to get a better feel for the animal’s looks and behaviors
Finalized Design
The final design of the Devil Rat takes heavy inspiration from hyenas and grasshopper mice, both predators that live in arid environments. The name “Devil Rat” is an in-universe name, which refers to the relentless and often savage hunting methods of these creatures
Incredible sense of smell
Localized fat deposits indicate the animal’s health
Incisors have conjoined into a tooth battery & forms a vicious pair of fangs
Bare tail acts as a thermal window, allowing the animal to shed excess heat
Long, powerful legs allow the Devil Rat to have a very energy efficient gait
