❖ Version History ❖
18th December, 2020
I know that the past two entries of the Design Journal were a bit lack luster on the progression of the final design, but they were moments that needed to be discussed so that we could arrive at this very special and inspiring day!
On the 18th of December in 2020, I got a text message from Ben showcasing the featured image at the top of this post. It came along with some hilariously short message to the tune of: “We’ve got a second prototype, and Aimee made some art!”. ~ Now, at this moment I had been at work and barely had time to look at my phone. All I could tell at the initial glimpse was that there were a bunch of colors to the card stock, I had not given my full attention to the actual art that had been drawn.
But then… later that night I took the time to study the images, and I have got to say, I underestimated what we were dealing with. Aimee (someone with a background in art, earth sciences & mycology) had very specifically wanted to make cute & derpy looking phoenixes in their different phases of life. And boy did she have some great success in pursuing this! Here are a few close-up examples of her work:
I had not known what to expect from Aimee’s artwork, but I was personally pretty much immediately in love with the excited look of the phoenix chick, and the dove-like adult bird. These were exactly the soft and sweet fire birds that I had been hoping for in a more finished version of this game.
I made sure to relay to Aimee personally that I would be considering these designs all the way toward the final production of the game if that day should ever come. I would of course be taking the time to touch these concepts up and bring them a bit more to life within the frame of the card design, but I’ll never forget how wholesome and cute these doodles were.
Unfortunately though, the next update to the art direction of Phoenix Farm won’t be taking place for another 6-7 months from where we currently are in the story. So, though I loved these cards from the first moment that I saw them in December, it wasn’t until July of 2021 that I had the time to sit down and begin drawing out another set of the designs!
before we get to that story and too far ahead of ourselves though, let’s get back into the game design elements that changed from this point in time! Be sure to tune back in to the Librarium Games Design Journal for our next story, where we discuss the heinous evil that we unleashed into the world with the creation of Kilduff’s Dragon Mechanic!
