WW2 MECH
SHOOTER
World War Bots is an action shooter game that put the players in control of enormous mechs to rain down destruction on enemy cities.
I designed the Mechs as well as worked with my Art Director to lead external partners in the development and production of all mechs.
Description:
MECHS
OVER TANKS
“World War Bots” takes World War II and reimagines it with a retro sci-fi twist.
It’s a top-down shooter where you pilot stylized mechs to battle across cities, leaving a trail of destruction behind.
The game features a blend of historical inspiration and futuristic retro 50’s design that helped give a fresh take on the genre.
CREATING
THE BOX
When creating World War Bots, we took a deep dive into classic mech designs and the genres that made them iconic. From the gritty realism of military mechs to the sleek lines of futuristic robots, we analyzed what made those styles resonate with players. Our goal was to carve out a niche that felt fresh yet familiar.
A RETRO
SCI FI SPIN
After taking a look at our competitors, we decided to pursue a style that took inspiration from a different source of media.
Looking towards “Iron Giant” we wanted to capture some of that personality and appeal that helped you relate to the mech as a character versus a piece of equipment.
Our first mech, ‘Big Red’, captured the style and became the pillar for future designs.
DEFINING
THE ROLES
A huge part of the design challenge was to create distinct designs that we could scale into a massive roster.
We settled on three classes: ‘Destroyer’, ‘Colossus’, and ‘Specialist’.
The ‘Specialist’ ended up being the trickiest due to its abstract design requirements, but ended up having some of the more interesting concepts.
WITH A SPLASH
OF WW2
World War Bots started out as a simple idea: A Mech game that would have players destroy cities while also creating a robust base to defend against other players’ Mechs. I worked closely with my Art Director to break down what style of Mech we would pursue. Before we ended up in a World War 2 setting, we explored many different styles and created breakdowns to pitch to stakeholders and the team to seek alignment on the vision.
INTRODUCING
PILOTS
Pilots created an opportunity to build out the world and add another dimension to the product.
In game they contributed bonus stats and augmented abilities to the mechs, adding an extra layer of customization for players.
ENTERING
PRODUCTION
After completing the initial designs for the first batch of mechs, I collaborated closely with the art director to ensure that our vision translated into 3D. We worked with an external studio for production, guiding them through the design details to maintain consistency and bring the concepts to life.
Providing feedback, I played a hands-on role in quality control, making sure the models met the standards needed for in-game use. This process ensured that every mech not only captured the intended style but also worked within the game's top-down perspective and dynamic action scenes.
EXTERNAL
STUDIO WORK
Following the initial mech designs, we scaled up production by outsourcing the concepting and 3D modeling to an external studio. I worked closely with their team, providing detailed design references and ensuring they had a clear understanding of the visual and technical requirements.
Throughout the process, I maintained regular reviews to align their work with the game’s art style and functionality.
