“Of the many workshops that line the artisan quarter of the city of Avagrad, few stand as venerated as the Wyland Forge. Home to a noble family of the same name, the forge and their craft is passed on from generation to generation.”
- The History of Aldemaine, 839 EE
3D Model by Jon Palejo. Concept by Olan Orig.
The Psychology of Immersion in Video Games states that immersion, otherwise known as “Spacial Presence” happens when players develop a mental model of the imaginary space through sensory cues and then favors, whether consciously or unconsciously, the game space as their contextual point of presence.
A blacksmith’s workshop must look and feel like a blacksmith’s workshop by conforming to what players assume one looks like.
Our core goal for WeaponForge is to create an experience where the player inhabits the role of the blacksmith and involve them in the process of creation beyond tapping on items in a menu. We want them to feel like they’re inside the store by creating a first person view of the forge and storefront and perform the act of smithing a weapon themselves.
To better emphasize the idea, the environment has to look the part. The workshop has to look like a forge complete with tools of the trade. It’s littered with scraps. The tables, walls and anvil show signs of wear and tear and not everything is neatly stacked together to show things are constantly being moved around.
I personally think Jon did an exceptional job of translating Olan’s already incredible concept sketch of the forge into 3D. I am excited to see and show everyone how this will look once we’ve put everything together.
