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How to create isometric game-graphics

Upon request, here is a more detailed description of how Coobico's isometric graphics are being produced.

Upon request, here is a more detailed description of how Coobico’s isometric graphics are being produced – most work on the imagery is done by Stefan and me (Lutz) and starts with collecting mood-material. Personally, I find myself greatly inspired by steampunk-anime like ラストエグザイル Last Exile (outstandingly detailed vehicle-designs and a quite dark setting), Otomo’s スチームボーイ Steamboy, as well as the works of Hayao Miazaki. Films and literature serve as inspiration too, like Metropolis, french Vidoq or writings of Lewis Carroll.

Pencil-Scribbles are then made according to the mood-material to capture the general steampunkish setting of Coobico. Creating a MMO takes quite some time, so it does not come as a surprise that these conceptual designs were already finished about a year ago.





Afterwards, realisation in 3D is being done directly, without delving deeper into details and color-schemes. Such production step would be preferable but can’t easily be accomplished by a small development-team under high time-pressure. Fortunately, with a small team, communicating the creative vision is comparably easy. Modeling, texturing and rendering of finished models is pretty straightforward and can be achieved with every available 3D-solution – we do not need to keep a big bag of tricks here (like low-poly-modeling and so on), as all graphics are pre-rendered. Four images are rendered for each building for example: a view from the left and right, as players are able to choose the facing of a building when it comes into play; and two different levels for most structures (except for unique sites like the Shattered Temple or the Haunted Mansion). These rendered high-definition images are already nearly the final draft. They are then retouched by Stefan in Photoshop. 





During the final overhaul, details are added and shadows and any rough edges fixed. The final images are then resized to fit the scale of Coobico’s maps and get documented in our tile-catalogue. Whatsmore, Stefan acts as Coobico’s leveldesigner too, and implements finished graphics into the game’s maps with our leveleditor.
Any further questions or remarks? Please just drop us your comments.

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