A fun evolution of our three #StevenUniverse The Light games has been the type of art assets used for each. #AttackTheLight used only 2D assets. #SaveTheLight had 2D character sprites but 3D modeled environments. Finally, #UnleashTheLight features both 3D environments AND 3D char models!

Below is an early camera & animation test of the first 3D character model we made – Pearl! Despite using 3D models, it was important to us for the characters to closely resemble the stylized 2D looks we were so used to over the years (though with some updates and polish in each game!)

Each character’s 3D rig included controls to help manipulate various elements and maintain more 2D-esque silhouettes and poses. Pearl’s lovely nose, for example, gets rotated on her face to ensure it never directly points at the camera.

Once we bring the char models into the game, we partially flatten and rotate them to always face the camera. Our goal with UTL was to ‘fuse’ the first two games together, and that required some trickery to get these stylized 3D models to work nicely with an ATL-like perspective.

Despite all the fun we had experimenting with new pipeline approaches, our artists still enjoyed practicing their traditional skills during pre-pro 👍❤️

Work began on the first game in 2013, and it’s been a truly special privilege to grow and evolve our humble take on Steven Universe over the years!