1 Nov 2023 • 3 min read

We Updated the Art in Our Game to Be More Cozy! 🎨

In this post, we will explain how our art director Titus created the new style in our game The Rabbit Haul!

Before We Begin

Before we dive into how we updated the art, we should discuss why. First, we want our game to have its own artistic identity and be instantly recognizable to players. Second, we want our game to be cute and cozy so that players can have a wholesome experience when playing the game.

Therefore, we played with three areas to achieve these two goals.

Colours

First, we played with colours to make them softer. We found that a lighter colour palette made the game look more adorable, and also communicated the cozy vibes of the game better.

A visual comparison of the old and the new style of the game.

For example, you’ll notice the greens are a bit lighter in the updated style (right), which reduces the amount of contrast and tension between the colours. This makes it softer on the eyes which helps communicate the cozy vibes of the game.

Outlines

We also played a lot with outlines! By making them thicker, it made the game look more “bouncy” and cute. For example, you can see how we made the outlines of the crops a bit lighter but considerably thicker (bottom row).

A visual representation of the new style of crops in the game compared to the old style.

We also decided to use outlines to communicate to players which objects are interactable or not. For example, grass is not interactable in the same way as crops and towers, therefore we help communicate that to the player with a lighter outline.

Image of the new style for the grass in the game.

Textures

Finally, we are playing with textures to add distinctiveness to the art style. You can notice these fine details in the picture below which add personality to the characters.

Visual comparison of the rabbit and the raccoon characters from the game in the old and the new style.

For example, the added details in the rabbit’s eyes give it a much cuter look 🥺. You’ll also notice the use of hashes and blemishes, a technique used in graphical illustrations like comic books. For example, you can see those details in the raccoon’s neck or the rabbit’s coat and belly. These textures are intended to give the visual look a sense of identity and vibrancy!

Conclusion

We’re certainly not done making tweaks to the art of the game, but we are excited about this new direction.

We would love to know your thoughts on the new look! Do you think our tweaks are achieving our goals of making our game cuter and more distinct?

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