![]() We bordered the biomes with transitional “palette cleanser” sparse zones of mostly sand and rock, and also relied on extreme vertical dropoffs between areas. Transitional zones and fog also play a large role in smoothing out the change from one world area to the next. So, naturally to fill them out more, we had to incorporate generic plants and sand and rock textures used in many other areas, which automatically lent a consistency to the world as the player travels around. We often relied on only a handful of theme assets to give a biome it’s defining look. As a smaller team with limited resources, there were only so many unique world textures, environment props, and creatures that we have been able to create. While we were conscious of maintaining consistency in the world, a fair amount just came about through necessity. And even now, in the polish phase they are going back into areas to smooth out some of the more abrupt transitions between biomes. ![]() How did you keep them aesthetically distinct without feeling like they were from entirely different games or worlds?Ĭory: This was certainly a challenge to pull off, and a credit to our level designers for achieving a level of cohesion throughout the entire world. Pip: The game separates its world out into different biomes, each with their own distinctive look. Referencing the real world, as opposed to only looking at other games and movies that have come before, is key in developing designs that stand on their own. Pictures of microscopy have also been great sources for alien textures and forms. I have folders filled with reference material of deep sea life and landscapes. It was important to have unique creatures and environments that are clearly alien, yet relatable and believable, therefore many real world references were closely studied to achieve the desired naturalistic look. Subnautica is like some mashup of The Abyss, Avatar, and Finding Nemo, in the way we tried to create a beautiful, vibrant and exotic world, in an underwater setting. Certainly the movie The Abyss was a big inspiration behind the game. The references used for the look and feel of Subnautica are so varied and numerous it is hard to narrow down. The look is stylized to some degree, emphasising simple and slightly exaggerated silhouettes, without going too cartoony. I wanted a visual look that matched - a style that was approachable, colorful and fun, but with a darker edge, for the deeper and creepier biomes. Pip: Hi Cory, can you tell me about how you started designing or conceptualising the look of Subnautica?Ĭory Strader: From the beginning we wanted to make a non violent game, emphasizing the mystery of exploring a lush, alien underwater environment, that would appeal to gamers of all ages and types. You can click on images to see larger version of the concept artwork or, if they're game screenshots, to just see them in isolation. ![]() Read on to find out how The Abyss, microscopy and a real fish with a transparent head and a visible brain all played their part! P.S. That's why, when I had a chance to speak with art director Cory Strader, I immediately wanted to talk about the game's flora. I collected all the weird and wonderful plants I could and cultivated them in little plant beds outside my underwater home. I played huge amounts of the game before more significant story elements were added and my big project was my volcano lair's garden. You explore biomes, collect resources and, as updates to the early access project add more content, start to piece together the story of the planet. It's an open world survival game set largely underwater on an alien planet. ![]() If you've spoken to me for more than five minutes, chances are I've mentioned Subnautica. ![]()
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