Another whimsical environment I worked on at Red Pepper Games was the forest exploration panorama, where players would explore the forest and encounter enemies along the way.

Here’s a video showing some of my thinking and design process. These are just the first-pass concepts for the forest, exploring the 2.5D environment, mood, and how the modules could support the gameplay.

Designing forests is always fun. I usually need to find the right music to engage my other senses, even my sense of smell.

I picture myself standing inside the environment with my eyes closed, imagining the smells, sounds, temperature, and humidity I would experience before opening my eyes. What does the air smell like? Is the ground damp? What can I hear in the distance? How does the air feel on my skin?

That’s how I paint moods.

And mood plays such an important role in designing forests. It’s not just about what the player sees, but what they can imagine experiencing within the environment.

Hope you enjoy it!