STARWEAVE News

[p][/p][p][/p][p]This is the first of our discipline devlogs for Starweave! First up, we have art design insights from art lead Ena. For the full schedule, please visit our Steam page.

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]What inspired the art design of Starweave?[/p][p][/p][p]I vividly recall wading through Google search results to engrave the meaning of Art Deco and Greek architecture into my brain, haha. And of course, anything related to stars and fate somehow found its way into our designs, in one way or another! [/p][p][/p][p]Some of our real-life inspirations I remember looking at include I Was A Teenage Exocolonist (general set dressing and 2D assets), Arknights (their 2d sprite aesthetic and grid-based map system), and Sky: Children of the Light (there was a very good guide on lighting and emotion that we referenced).[/p][p][/p][p]How did you decide on the “2D in 3D” look for the game?[/p][p][/p][p]I think the main driver of the 2D and 3D look was its flexibility with level design. It allows us to more easily craft a tactical RPG with its grid-based battle system while maintaining the anime-like art style (and playing to the strengths of our character artist, Leni)! I think we also really liked Arknights and were inspired by how they operated (2D Spine-animated characters in a 2D-3D stylized environment). [/p][p][/p][p]Much of this is Rachel’s credit to be had – she had an incredibly strong vision of what Starweave would be like from the start (a very detailed moodboard of each zone’s colors and its narrative evocations), and this all drove the art direction forward in ways that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It’s been a while, so I don’t quite recall, but I think another reason for the 2D & 3D style is so we can play to our artist’s strengths: we onboarded an incredibly talented 2D animator (shoutout to Juan) and VFX artist (Melon!). We also wanted enough flexibility to let people practice their weaknesses (it is education!), so we made sure to include positions for people who wanted 3D, 2D, texturing, and VFX – truly, it felt like we had the entire game art pipeline in a single project. 
[/p][p]It was so heartwarming to see people band together with a willingness to pour their passions into Starweave during recruitment – I recall getting sporadic dms from Rachel at like 10pm at night; something along the lines of “we’re adding another artist to the project” and I’d just sit there in shock (as a first-time producer/art director), shaking as another talented artist joined the team hahaha.[/p][p][/p][p]What is your process for art direction? Where do you start on a new project?[/p][p][/p][p]Research, concept, a lot of reading! This wasn't the process used in Starweave since I was just starting to learn art direction, but generally, I start by playing games in the genre, getting a feel for what could fit the technical scope of the game, and meeting often with the design team to understand their vision. [/p][p][/p][p]Outside of that, it’s always good to read books, take interesting walks in nature, visit art museums for fun and try new things! I think one of the funniest things I kept going back to while making Starweave was the architecture of the building where I went to university.[/p][p][/p][p]What was your own personal goal for Starweave? Did you achieve it?[/p][p][/p][p]Part of it was to learn as much as possible about art direction and production since it was my first lead project, but the other part was purely a love of the game. I adore (still) the bittersweet story of these four characters and their desire to better the world, only to be torn apart by their dividing feelings about blindly following the path others have sown for them. [/p][p][/p][p]I hope the art in this game can properly support the narrative's emotional impact and that its aesthetics can draw more people into the game! I hope the people who end up finishing Starweave like it as much as I do![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Did you face any challenges you had to overcome on this project?[/p][p][/p][p]So many hahaha – my fondest memory is of late-night calls with my producer (Ashley, ily) reworking the burndown for the nth time because of scope creep, deadlines we realized were unhittable much too late, or changes in the artist's schedule. Another fond memory was of our 7am design meetings where everyone sounded like they had just rolled out of bed (and we likely all had hahaha).[/p][p][/p][p]Is there any particular piece of art or design that is your favorite, and/or that really captures the spirit of the game?[/p][p][/p][p]Yes! I love the first visual Rachel gave us for the project's “vibes”; a signed poster of it remains on the wall of my childhood home to this day.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This one! It was in her pitch deck and was one of the things that really sold me on the game.[/p][p][/p][p]What have you been working on since Starweave? Any highlights?[/p][p][/p][p]The Werecleaner is the game I went into with all of my Starweave knowledge, empowered and determined not to make the same mistakes! I sometimes wish that I had been able to make Starweave with the same experience that I had when I worked on Werecleaner, but I think the beauty of it lay in the fact that Starweave was the predecessor to Werecleaner, and I think the latter could’ve only been such smooth sailing because of the former.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][c]Hi! I’m Ena, art lead for Starweave! I handled a lot of the task assignment and feedback that usually falls under art direction and art production, but the lines do get a little blurred here and there. I fell hard for Starweave from the moment I saw the pitch (stars and birds, breaking free from destinies forged by another, wrapped up in an evocative yet cute game about teenagers conscripted to save their world…); I felt so targeted in that moment haha. Outside of Starweave, I’m a huge fan of narrative games of many genres ( The Nonary Games, In Stars and Time, Hatoful Boyfriend, to name a few)! [/c][/p][p][/p][p][c]I’m usually somewhere in a hole in the woods (or my room) drawing my cute delusional characters with a scatter of writing here and there to change it up a little. My dream is to buy a big house and live in it with all of my friends, and then get a koi pond for the 2 feet long goldfish I plan on having. (Waving my wand around) I shall then grill fish for my friends and we will all overcome the horrors of capitalism together. As for my current status, I am hard at work manifesting this vision into my immediate future at my desk job as a mobile games producer… 🙂‍↕️ [/c][/p][p][/p][p][c]All things considered though, I hope you all truly enjoy Starweave! It was a journey both during and post production cycle, and I’m so, so delighted that it’ll finally see the light of day. [/c][/p][p][/p][p][c]May you all weave your own stars into this universe.[/c][/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][h3]Are you a steadfast Dreamer? A hopeful Troubadour? Maybe the quiet stoicism of the Lighthouse calls to you? Or do you have the devil-may-care attitude of a Blackguard?[/h3][p][/p][p]With our personality quiz, you can find out which role matches you the best. In just ten questions, the stars will align, and your fate will be decided... or will it? Do you fight destiny?[/p][p][/p][p]After completing the quiz, you might want some fancy images you can use to share your newfound path. You can find square (1200x1200) below, and landscape (1920x1080) assets here.[/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][p]Let us know your results below, and be sure to share them on your social media if you'd like! (with the handy URL: starweave.info!) Sharing your results helps more people learn about the game, and who doesn't love taking a quiz with some gentle callouts? [/p][p][/p][p]Find out your Starweave role here![/p]

[p][/p][p]STARWEAVE is a Narrative RPG, with all the typical conventions you’d expect from a game with those labels, and a dash of turn-based tactics gameplay.[/p][p][/p][p]The game follows Dreamer, a girl who wakes up in an ethereal dreamscape and meets the mysterious Bird, a guide who informs her that she was destined to join a team of fated companions on an all-important quest to save the world. Each has been assigned the tools and designations of their role upon the quest: to fight through the treacherous land in search of Beacons that must be lit to keep the world from ending.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Now you might be wondering... where is this game set?[/p][p][/p][p]Would you believe me if I said it literally came to be in a dream? When I was eight or nine, I had an incredibly vivid dream about the place that would come to be Lucid, the otherworldly setting of STARWEAVE. [/p][p][/p][p]You can think of it as an abstract, primordial place that this cyclical journey has seen many, many previous parties through, ever-existing as a reality parallel and important to the waking world. What exists in Lucid is storied and significant, etched deep into the history of life itself, yet too far away to easily understand what those who last tread it were feeling and thinking. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In STARWEAVE, you play as Dreamer. The first character you meet on your journey is Bird. Don't worry about Bird for now.[/p][p][/p][p]Dreamer and Bird are joined by a colorful cast of three other party members: Troubadour, Lighthouse, and Blackguard. In a surface-level summary: Troubadour is the naively eager healer, Lighthouse is the orderly and pragmatic supporter, and Blackguard rounds out the crew as the sardonic rogue.  [/p][p]
First impressions aren’t everything, and STARWEAVE’s journey intentionally plays with initial conceptions one might have of these characters. Learning to see things from their perspectives and understand where they’re coming from might be the key to overcoming the cruel circumstances before you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]STARWEAVE’s characters, setting, and hook have been with me for a long time. The game, its primary theme, mechanics, and plot came to be as part of my 2023 Master’s Thesis at the University of Southern California’s Interactive Media & Games Division. I’ve always wanted to tell stories about hope in impossible circumstances, about forging compassion for those who share the world with you, and about changing the world for the better. [/p][p][/p][p]For STARWEAVE, the keyword is ‘empathy’, of embracing the theory of the mind and what it means to understand others’ perspectives as they react to a difficult situation, and meet them in the middle. 
[/p][p]I had the honor of reaching out to past collaborators that I worked with on previous games and projects, along with friends and acquaintances with skills I admired, and accepted the assistance of others who lent their talents along the way. Teamwork is absolutely what made this thesis game a reality.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Sixty developers across ten team disciplines came together to work on this game in some small part. From the technical wizards that comprise the Engineering team and tackled a complex tactical game where your units can refuse your commands, to the marvelous Art team that ideated and breathed life into every corner of Lucid, all the way to our star-studded Voice Cast that added real aching passion to the script our Narrative team worked tirelessly to punch up and refine. [/p][p][/p][p]I could sing the praises of each individual who worked on this game, from those who were fellow students at the time, or freelance collaborators who lent their specialized talents to develop this game. 
[/p][p]It was a great logistical challenge and an even greater privilege to act as the Creative Director for this team, and we’ve gone on many other journeys since the time when STARWEAVE was in active development. Please do pay attention to the names in our credits and follow each contributor along to their next quest![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]STARWEAVE is a story near and dear to my heart, fueled by the passions of every developer who instilled a little piece of themselves in its development because they, too, believed in the experience we wanted to share. We are heartened to have finally reached the release day we’ve strived for, and we want more than anything for others to embark on the journey we’ve created for you. [/p][p][/p][p]Please play through STARWEAVE with an open heart, share your thoughts on it, and share it with loved ones if you feel so compelled. [/p][p][/p][h3]On behalf of all of us: thank you![/h3][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][c]Rachel Geng is a UI/UX and Game Systems Designer currently based in Seattle, WA working at Wizards of the Coast on Magic the Gathering: Arena. [/c][/p][p][c]Previously, she worked on Teamfight Tactics and Marvel Snap, and studied at the NYU Game Center for her BFA and the USC Interactive Media & Games Division for her MFA, where STARWEAVE was developed as her thesis project. |

Beyond crafting mechanics and interfaces that compel life into the games she has the honor to work on, Rachel thrives in collaborative settings where she and her teammates can come together to create something greater than the sum of their individual skills. More than anything, she believes in the power of stories and lived experiences—be they grand inspirations that alter the course of one’s life or humble lights in times of great darkness—and hopes her personal work can serve as those kinds of stories for her players. When not engaging in game development, Rachel enjoys all things related to sampling and collecting tea, exploring the world of ceramics and building up her own drinkware throwing skills, and taking afternoon walks to find all the most interesting nooks and crannies around the city.[/c] [/p][p]Keep an eye out today for a personality quiz that will let you know which role the stars have in store for you, and come back all week as we'll be sharing even more devlogs from the team![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]