Since 2018, I've been an active part of the modding community for video game; Don't Starve Together. I published two popular mods alongside a programmer friend as a collective; "The Makeshift Assemblage".
I did the design and art whilst he did the programming and implementation.
We created an original character; "Woodrow" and a character based on a popular but unplayable character from the game; "Charlie".
Charlie
Woodrow
Our first mod and the one we kept updating due to its popularity was "Charlie", a popular character who is already present within the games.
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We created her default outfit as well as other costumes inspired by costumes that other Official Characters in the game had gotten as well as some custom ones. We built her kit around her 'Queen of the Darkness' concept that is prevalent within the game, focusing on her dark aesthetics.
Charlie's Updates
In order to maintain enthusiasm for the mod, we regularly released updates alongside the reported bugfixes with fun titles and a new skin for Charlie.
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Most updates also coincided with an official event happening in the game to keep our popularity high. After a special mode; "The Forge" came out, Charlie got a special "The Forge" skin, etc.
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I wanted each design to feel authentic to the universe and spent a lot of time perfecting the style of Don't Starve - my key goal in mind was immersion.
Model Viewer
Guest of Honour Charlie concept art
My personal favourite
is the "High Tide"
Charlie skin!
Update Art
In-Game Screenshot
Charlie's steam page also had a lot of custom assets to give the mod a cohesive theme and style and to continue my key goal of maintaining immersion and being true to life with the Don't Starve art style.
Woodrow was the second mod in development who was never fully finalised, in spite of being about 99% finished.
Due to busy schedules in both of our lives, as well as the constant updates to Charlie; Woodrow was at his final stages of development before being left to the wayside within the last few moments.
Woodrow Concept
Unlike Charlie, who received many updates and skins, Woodrow was just a standard character who received what he needed with completely original, custom assets.
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We developed his kit as as a soldier and a tank, somebody with the ability to taunt enemies and kite them. We also wanted to make him seem like an authentic character, with his name beginning with a 'W' and his true-to-games design and aesthetic.
The base of Woodrow's concept was a French Soldier and was a suggestion made by my co-collaborator with The Makeshift Assemblage.
Woodrow's aspects were inspired by real-world influences with a personal style and Don't Starve twist.
Unfinished Concepts
In addition to the fully finished Charlie and mostly finished Woodrow, we had other long-term game plans for other characters who were never completed, existing mostly in my own concept art.
Weatherby
Weatherby was designed to be an artist who would require unique items in the form of paints or sketching tools which - when used at the Artist's Easel, would be able to spawn 'Sketches', creatures who would function as followers to the detriment of his 'Sanity' meter.