Sky of Tides Dev Blog 04/29/25
Welcome back, explorers of numen9!
Stepping into the fractured world of Sky of Tides is like wandering through a living painting. Every vista, character, and detail is a deliberate stroke, sparking wonder and mystery. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain to reveal the artistic vision behind numen9.
The visual identity of numen9 weaves together sci-fi futurism and grounded familiarity. Think Borderlands—hand-drawn textures give our 3D environments a bold, comic-book edge. But the real spark came from the story: oceans rising into the sky, leaving a shattered landscape studded with vibrant crystals. These became symbols of unity and division, driving the art’s narrative.
Lina Skorbach kicked things off with early world designs, setting numen9’s unique tone. Concept artist Daxiong (illustrator for Justice League and Star Wars comics) shaped characters like Rin, brought to life in 3D by our wonderful modelers (Nick, Victor, Sangho). Creative director Judith Cheung tied it all together with detailed references that kept the team on track.
We leaned into a vibrant, colorful palette to match the story’s hopeful, humorous vibe—numen9 is inviting, not oppressive. Balancing danger and awe, ancient ruins and sleek tech, was a tightrope walk. And then there’s the floating oceans: we experimented with rendering tricks to make water feel omnipresent yet never suffocating.
Game art isn’t just eye candy—it sets the emotional stage while wrestling with tech limits. Using Unity, we optimized assets and iterated endlessly based on playtests. The nine planetoids of numen9, once whole, mirror real-world fractures, but their vivid, interconnected design whispers hope. Cutscenes in 2D add a cinematic twist, deepening your bond with the story.
Our goal? A world dripping with mystery, begging you to explore its secrets and piece together its lore. The art of numen9 is a team effort—a collision of creativity and vision. We can’t wait for you to dive in and lose yourself in it.
Stepping into the fractured world of Sky of Tides is like wandering through a living painting. Every vista, character, and detail is a deliberate stroke, sparking wonder and mystery. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain to reveal the artistic vision behind numen9.
The visual identity of numen9 weaves together sci-fi futurism and grounded familiarity. Think Borderlands—hand-drawn textures give our 3D environments a bold, comic-book edge. But the real spark came from the story: oceans rising into the sky, leaving a shattered landscape studded with vibrant crystals. These became symbols of unity and division, driving the art’s narrative.
Lina Skorbach kicked things off with early world designs, setting numen9’s unique tone. Concept artist Daxiong (illustrator for Justice League and Star Wars comics) shaped characters like Rin, brought to life in 3D by our wonderful modelers (Nick, Victor, Sangho). Creative director Judith Cheung tied it all together with detailed references that kept the team on track.
We leaned into a vibrant, colorful palette to match the story’s hopeful, humorous vibe—numen9 is inviting, not oppressive. Balancing danger and awe, ancient ruins and sleek tech, was a tightrope walk. And then there’s the floating oceans: we experimented with rendering tricks to make water feel omnipresent yet never suffocating.
Game art isn’t just eye candy—it sets the emotional stage while wrestling with tech limits. Using Unity, we optimized assets and iterated endlessly based on playtests. The nine planetoids of numen9, once whole, mirror real-world fractures, but their vivid, interconnected design whispers hope. Cutscenes in 2D add a cinematic twist, deepening your bond with the story.
Our goal? A world dripping with mystery, begging you to explore its secrets and piece together its lore. The art of numen9 is a team effort—a collision of creativity and vision. We can’t wait for you to dive in and lose yourself in it.
