Over the past three weeks, our team completed testing for our first demo and received valuable feedback. Based on this feedback and a review of our current progress, we decided to scope down the overall area of the game. It’s likely that we won’t be able to finish the full mushroom region, so we’ve decided to focus the remaining time on polishing the Forest Grove area and optimizing the gameplay mechanics related to the different Seeds.

On the art side, I created several assets for the project, including houses (to help complete the look of the village), characters for the Forest Grove area, pixel art for puzzles, and more.

To visually connect the village with the mushroom-themed characters, I created several mushroom houses based on a 3D model provided by our teammate Akira. In order to maintain a unified visual style, I kept all three houses within the same color palette.

I also continued with character design, working from written concepts provided by the team. For example, the design of the "vine seed giver" is based on the idea of a tree stump with a single eye and a calm, powerful presence. Since it is associated with vine seeds, its body is covered with vines, which are part of its form and can be used as hands.

Some character designs were created collaboratively during class with Tamara and Akira. I plan to convert these sketches into pixel art in the coming week. The collaborative process was very engaging and gave me deeper insight into each character. Brainstorming together allowed us to explore a wide range of creative ideas, which I found incredibly valuable. It also made me realize that when working alone, I sometimes get stuck on a single idea and miss out on potentially better directions.

As for the puzzle assets, we mainly used placeholders in the demo. Based on those, I created final pixel versions, making it easier for the programming team to replace them directly in the game.

For the machines, I designed a square-shaped model and split its sprite into different states (active/inactive/rusted/emitting gas). This way, the same base design can appear with variations throughout the game, keeping things visually interesting while maintaining a consistent identity. Since machines will appear frequently, I paid special attention to small details to avoid repetition and keep the player engaged without causing confusion.

Finally, I created a metallic tilemap for the Big Machine area. The atmosphere here is meant to feel dark, cold, and ominous, so I used a range of metal textures to express a mechanical and unsettling environment.

In the next three weeks, I will continue to create more puzzle assets to support the level designers as they structure gameplay. I’ll also start working on some decorative background elements to enhance the visual depth of each scene. I believe background details are a simple yet highly effective way to boost overall visual quality.