Exploring Towerborne’s World
Venturing outside the Belfry can be a perilous journey with a multitude of creatures wreaking havoc across the world of Towerborne. One such powerful creature is the formidable Truffleclub.
Behind the Scenes: Creating Towerborne’s Enemies
From Art to Animation to Combat Design, the process of creating enemies involves collaboration across various disciplines in game development. We had the privilege of sitting down with Lead Combat Designer Isaac Torres, Senior Combat Designer Aviva Schecterson, Principal Animator Joseph Garrahan, and Lead Concept Artists Jeff Murchie from Stoic Studio to shed light on the process of bringing an idea to life!
Meet the Team
Hello! And thank you for your time! Let’s go ahead and plunge into some questions, starting with your background! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Isaac: Hello! I’m Isaac Torres, Lead Combat Designer at Stoic. With a decade of experience in the game industry, I have a passion for combat-focused games. When I first saw Towerborne, I was captivated and knew I had to be a part of this project.
Aviva: I’m Aviva, Senior Combat Designer at Stoic, with a background in game design. I have been involved in spearheading AI combat for over three years at Stoic.
Joseph: I’m Joseph, Principal Animator at Stoic, with a background in animation spanning movies, TV series, and video games.
Jeff: Hi, I’m Jeff, the Lead Concept Artist at Stoic, with experience working on a variety of projects in the industry since the early 2000s.
Genesis of the Truffleclub
Let’s go back to the beginning. What was your experience when creating Truffleclub for the first time?
Jeff: As the concept artist for Truffleclub, the process was an evolving journey. The visual concept of a mushroom-themed boss was brought to life through a variety of sketches and designs.
Aviva: My introduction to Truffleclub involved envisioning its role alongside other characters in the game, aiming to provide unique gameplay experiences.
Joseph: Being involved from the concept phase, I explored creative scenarios for Truffleclub’s animations, like parachuting mushrooms and drilling into the ground.
Isaac: Joining the project during Truffleclub’s development, I admired the character’s scale and expressive animations, appreciating the team’s creativity in bringing it to life.
Fostering Creativity in Animation
In order to achieve compelling enemy movement, one must draw inspiration from the unconventional. Where do you draw creativity when animating complex characters like Truffleclub?
Joseph: My inspiration comes from boundary-pushing anime like Gurren Lagan and Studio Trigger’s work, always seeking to create dynamic and unique animations.
From Concept to Reality
How do you begin the process of bringing an enemy to life?
Isaac: As Lead Combat Designer, the process involves considering the enemy’s role in combat, brainstorming unique moves, and collaborating with the team to shape the character’s gameplay.
Aviva: Starting with the enemy’s personality and purpose, we aim to create distinct mechanics and behaviors for each enemy, like implementing poison damage for Truffleclub.
Overcoming Design Challenges
Were there any design challenges?
Aviva: Designing Truffleclub as the first boss presented challenges in combat and encounter pacing, requiring constant iteration and adaptation.
Joseph: Experimenting with Truffleclub’s animations led to challenges in defining its movement style, ultimately influencing its personality.
Isaac: Developing the first boss of the game posed challenges in finding the right balance of fun and challenge, alongside ensuring encounters felt engaging without being overwhelming.
Animating Truffleclub
What was your favorite part when animating Truffleclub?
Joseph: The burrowing animation provided a creative opportunity to play with character rigging and dynamic movements.
Creating Dynamic Battle Animations
How do you approach the animation process for battles involving up to four players?
Joseph: By creating a variety of attacks targeting different scenarios and ranges, we ensure dynamic and engaging combat experiences for players.
Isaac: Balancing combat mechanics for both solo and multiplayer scenarios involves close collaboration between combat designers and animators to ensure a smooth and engaging experience.
Life Beyond Combat
What do you think Truffleclub does in its time off?
Aviva: Imagining Truffleclub conducting mushroom concerts with its mycelial network.
Joseph: Perhaps spawning smaller mushrooms underground while resting.
Isaac: Envisioning Truffleclub creating an intricate transportation system for its companions.
Looking Ahead
What do you want to tell readers about the exciting work with Truffleclub and other Towerborne enemies?
Aviva: Truffleclub is just the beginning of the exciting enemy designs we have in store for Towerborne!
Joseph: Our goal is to surprise players with unique and unexpected experiences, taking the beat ’em up genre to new heights.
Isaac: We can’t wait for players to experience the diverse enemy designs and the passion we’ve poured into creating each one.
Note: Towerborne is still under development, and all game content discussed in this article is subject to change. Stay tuned for the game’s release later this year!
For more information and updates, visit our website, join our Discord community, and follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest news. Also, don’t forget to follow our Towerborne Twitch channel for an upcoming Truffleclub Stream with the development team!
Defend the Belfry!