Creating the Art Style of Big Time
Big Time’s Art Director and Lead Concept Artist discuss the creation of a style that’s bold, evocative, and timeless
Big Time is a cooperative, action role-playing game where players assume the role of time-traveling heroes battling across history. It features exciting mash-ups of different time periods, where famous characters, events, and technology collide… providing an unforgettable experience.
A concept this bold requires visuals to match. In this week’s post, Art Director Carlo Arellano and Lead Concept Artist Tom Zhao discuss the origins of Big Time’s unique art style, which takes cues from a wide range of sources… from the French artist Moebius, to Studio Ghibli, to Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoons. Carlo brings a wealth of experience working on franchises as varied as World of Warcraft, God of War, and Ratchet and Clank. Tom comes from Riot Games, where he helped bring the world of League of Legends to life, as well as ThatGameCompany’s Sky: Children of the Light, which won Apple’s award for 2019 iPhone game of the year. Together, they set out to develop an iconic art style for Big Time rich in texture and emotion.
To stand out in a crowded marketplace, the Big Time art team’s guiding principle was T.I.M.E. — Timeless, Iconic, Mysterious and Economical.
Big Time’s art style is Timeless in the sense that the game needs to look as appealing ten years out as it did on its launch day. MMOs and online games have amazing longevity, but most suffer from an art style that shows their age as time marches on. To avoid this fate, Big Time started with a non-photorealistic, retro-stylized look.
“The world needs to feel inviting. It needs to feel like you’re constantly asking yourself “what’s around that next corner?” Almost a hieroglyphic of adventure.”
Big Time’s art style is Iconic in the sense that the game has a look that’s instantly recognizable, whether you’re exploring the ruins of an alien megastructure, or going on a prehistoric romp with a pack of wild dinosaurs.
“Big Time has a huge range of characters and environments. The gameplay is fast and intense… but players can enjoy moments between adventures to just sit in the grass and take in the world before jumping back into the fray. ”
Big Time’s art style is Mysterious in the sense that a great deal of storytelling is delivered through the environments themselves. Every facet of the game’s art is painstakingly crafted to tell a story, and to give players clues to help them unravel the game’s deeper mysteries.
“With NFTs, you’re going to be getting items in the game that are unique and tradeable in a valuable way that hasn’t been possible in some of these other forays into the genre.” — Carlo Arellano
Big Time’s art style is Economical in the sense that, despite being a large open world spanning multiple historical eras, it’s designed in such a way that allows a small team of veteran developers who are masters of their craft to bring it to life.
“ I love archaeology. The idea of discovering new worlds. Developing the visuals for Big Time is like being an archeologist in our own fictional world.” — Tom Zhao
The art team is currently hard at work exploring the boundless possibilities of time travel. They’ve quickly amassed a treasure trove of sketches, concepts, and 3D models. Be sure to follow our social media, where we’re going to feature many of these pieces:
And don’t forget to join our Discord channel, where you can get the latest updates and connect with fellow players. We hope you’ve enjoyed this brief peek behind the curtain at the art of Big Time. See you next time!
