Dev Log: The Art of Modulus, Part 4 | Evolving Over Time & Creative Mode

[p]Welcome back to our mini-series on The Art of Modulus. Last time we took a look at how Thomas and Antoine blend creative vision with technical art, and the constraints that puts on how we design the look of the game. Plus we shared a rather exciting spoiler.
Today we are diving into how the look of Modulus has changed over time and we take a peak at Creative Mode, discussing our crazy creative community! [/p][h2]EVOLVING THE LOOK OVER TIME[/h2][p]HOW HAS THE VISUAL STYLE CHANGED SINCE THE ORIGINAL PROTOTYPE?

Thomas: The design process involved significant changes. Initially, we prototyped with another team (no longer present) and had artists conduct R&D on how the game would look, which was  very different from the current iteration. The design has evolved considerably, even since your arrival. There was a phase with more detailed operators, not quite gothic, but represented with a greater number of voxels.[/p][p]Antoine: We experimented with various voxel scales, aiming for a balance between detail and performance.
Highly detailed meshes increase complexity and production time. Given our team size and the number of operators, variations, and buildings needed, we can't afford two weeks per building.[/p][p]Initially, we tried an all-voxel art style for operators, buildings, and environments. However, this resulted in too much noise, making it hard to distinguish player creations from the game world, similar to Minecraft.While visually appealing as concept art, it didn't work for a game. We've since settled on voxel art for operators and buildings, with a low-poly environment. [/p][p]ANYTHING THAT WAS CUT OR CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY ALONG THE WAY?[/p][p]Thomas: I have one, the HD modules. To provide context, our process involved making a module, and because the buildings tended to appear too dull or lacking in detail, we aimed for every module to have a high-definition counterpart. This high-definition version featured extensive details, utilizing significantly more voxels, perhaps ten times the amount, or even more… Antoine:  Not that much. While it looks vastly different, it was only about 3 to 5 times larger, which is already a significant increase in the voxel.[/p][p]Thomas: But yeah, I remember that. Just got stripped at some point because of scope probably.[/p][p]Antoine: We did strip down some features due to scope but also because of player understanding. Initially, in early playtests, HD modules caused a discrepancy between the player's creation and the final building, making them appear too different. This confused players, who didn't realize their modules contributed to the final structure. Removing these modules simplified the building's appearance, making it more consistent with player input.[/p][p]Other features that were cut, but might return, include biomes and elevation. Biomes, such as desert and ice, were removed primarily for scope, aiming to diversify environments further from the starting island. Elevation, which would have introduced steps and mountains requiring elevators to reach higher factory levels, was also cut due to its visual complexity and gameplay implications. Although concept art for elevation looked cool, it felt like adding another dimension to the game, thus impacting scope. We may revisit this feature in the future.

Thomas: Yeah, for sure. Maybe in Modulus 2?[/p][p]Antoine: (Makes a shocked face) Maybe…
[/p][h2]CREATIVE MODE & PLAYER EXPRESSION[/h2][p]HOW DID YOU APPROACH BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT LETS PLAYERS MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS?
[/p][p]Antoine: From the very beginning, the idea was to let players be creative in a factory setting. Our job is to provide tools that let them push the systems to their limits.[/p][p]This isn't a spoiler, as it's not currently planned, but we'd love to implement it. I secretly envision a future where players can construct their own unique buildings using the modules they create, rather than being limited to our existing building recipes.[/p][p]Thomas: It would be fantastic if players could share blueprints and attempt to replicate each other's creations.[/p][p]HAS ANYTHING SURPRISED YOU IN THE COMMUNITY SCREENSHOTS OR BUILDS?[/p][p]Antoine: The community has already surprised us, things like building a QR code, linking to the store page, or even a world map inside the game. Players have pushed the tools further than we expected.[/p][p]Thomas: The concept of pixel art wasn't initially considered due to the module's size limitation, which was 12x12 back then. While simple pixel art like a smiley could be created, it wasn't until someone discovered that conveyor belts could perfectly combine multiple 12x12 squares that the possibilities expanded. This "happy accident" meant that any size of pixel art could now be created, a development that was both surprising and rapid. Within a day of the game's release, players were already creating intricate designs like bunnies in the grass, cars, and even chessboards, leading the the team to be like, "What? What do you mean? Is this the same game?” It's crazy.

That's all for Part 4. You can watch the full interview in video format below:[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]
We'll be dropping the 5th and final part on Monday, where we explore the tools of the trade and take a sneak peek at what's to come for Modulus.[/p][p]Thank you as always for your support. Don't forget to wishlist the game, it really helps us out.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Team Happy Volcano
  [/p]