Battallion Wars 2 concepts

**Joachim** · September 10th, 2008, 05:29 AM

Hello everybody....long time no see !

Actually I think it's more than a year or two since my last post. I don't know what happened to me...Guess family, work, house, and all that kind of stuff just caught all my attention.

Anyway, I was thinking I'm gonna try to change that.
So first off I thought I could post some concepts I did almost 2 years ago, but since the game didn't came out until last christmas I haven't been able so show them. Anyway, I don't know who are familiar with the Battallion Wars game ? These were for the 2nd Wii version, made by Kuju for Nintendo.
So, my job here was to make some concept on each of the locations to set a style and give the artist some inspiration. The whole style of the game is quite cartoony as you can see on the concepts, a mix between ww2, fantasy and cartoon.
Anyway, I hope you like...

done with my colleague chester:

more info and some other pencil sketches can be found on my website, for those that are interested.

**kaktuzlime** · September 10th, 2008, 05:53 AM

I love love love them. You´ve really nailed the theme spot on. Those are all environments I´d love to visit and fight in ^^

In my personal opinion the last one is the most exciting. The contrast between the idyllic village and the violence makes the image highly interesting.

The colours overall are great, and I particularily enjoy how you´ve made all the environments so distinct, yet very coherent and seemingly belonging to the same world.

**sourgasm** · September 10th, 2008, 11:42 AM

The strokes in these are so confident. Like you just tossed them out as you chatting with your mom on the phone. Great work throughout.

**cgaddict** · September 10th, 2008, 12:06 PM

You have a very unique style, which I dig. Strong work throughout.

**mrTornatoZZ** · September 10th, 2008, 12:27 PM

Yep, cgaddict said it all, total niceness!

**FourTonMantis** · September 10th, 2008, 12:42 PM

Agree with everything above but...

...there's no people. They'd be a lot more epic with soldiers running all over them, especially the third and sixth ones.

**Mattinian** · September 10th, 2008, 01:20 PM

love em! they`re all cartoony and sunny and cute yet there`s artillery shelling going on :]

**Joachim** · September 11th, 2008, 08:01 AM

Hey Thanks a lot guys for the replies.

kaktuzlime, thanks thats so nice of you to say !

sourgasm, thanks, a nice compliment. Actually they were quite a lot of work, not because it was so much detailed work, but they went through a lot of changes and different ideas under development, because Kuju had their specific request on what should be in the drawings.

cgaddict, thanks ! I feel I don't have that much of a personal style, I always bend towards what the customer wants

But still I always hope there are some signature left inside my work anyway, so I appreciate hearing that.

mrtornatozz, thank you !

fourtonmantis, thanks a bunch. Actually I never did spend any time adding people though I know it is kind of ackward to see war like this with no people. But the images were made as environmental concepts, for colors and architectural design....so on purpose I didnt make any people that would stand in the way for that, as they had own concept work for people and vehicles in the game. Anyway, I see your point

Mattinian, thanks a bunch ! Yeah that's kinda the Nintendo way of making war

if anyone is interested, there's plenty of pencil sketches and unused concepts as well for this project on my website.

**defcombeta** · September 11th, 2008, 01:28 PM

really nice stuff, a chunky playblock feel to the buildings and materials yet a very solid vibe comes off. the colours are what really sell the batch of images with striking and strong blues and greens help push the images right into the focus of the viewer.

**djobuk** · September 11th, 2008, 06:58 PM

Cute

**alyssa milano** · September 11th, 2008, 07:06 PM

love the colors man, first one`s my fav

**Mike Schley** · September 12th, 2008, 01:05 PM

Long time no see Joachim! Love the new concept sketches! Keep up the good work.

**Serpian** · September 12th, 2008, 02:47 PM

Niiiiice... Good to see you here again!

**Joachim** · September 17th, 2008, 03:38 PM

Hi guys thanks a bunch for the replies !

defcombeta, thank you !

djobuk, thx !

alyssa milano, thanks ! I think it´s mine too

mike schley, hey man, thanks. Loong time no see, that have you been up to ? I heard the Dungeon Magazine stopped printing -just web ?

, serpian, thanks! it´s good to be back

**HeroGear** · September 17th, 2008, 04:41 PM

I've played this game and truth be told, the reason I keep it around is dig through the art gallery they offer in the game. You guys did a great job!

**Chris B** · September 18th, 2008, 10:02 AM

the color palette and style makes me feel that war can be nice

**SashaMichelson** · September 18th, 2008, 11:05 AM

Superb! great work. I would like to see more of your concepts on "units" and "weapons" please.

I wonder if you're familiar with "Metal Slug" series....they have managed to get reality + fiction together very well.

Thank you

**el coro** · September 19th, 2008, 07:59 PM

DUDE!!! there you are!!! so good to see you posting! ive missed seeing what you have been up to...these are great. really nice paintings. thanks for posting, and i hope everything is going well with you!

c36

**Dizon** · September 20th, 2008, 03:11 AM

Great mood and colors! I think it will capture the whole feel of the game.

I'd like to crit the very last image. You have to fix the composition on that one because the little boat on the lower right side tends to bring my eye out of the picture. I think it's the gun barrel that's pointing towards the right that's causing the problem. Or...maybe you can make a panoramic view of that image.

**HunterKiller_** · September 20th, 2008, 05:04 AM

Four stars? What?

This stuff is rad. Sorta reminds me of Metal Slug.
Second piece is my fav.

**Joachim** · September 24th, 2008, 07:51 AM

Hi guys, thanks for nice replies.

herogear, thanks man that means a lot. I wasn't part of any other production on this game, we were just hired to make some environment designs.

chris b, you won the "quote of the thread" award

sashamichelson, thanks ! Yeah the whole game has gotten influences from the Metal Slug Serie. Unfortunately, vehicles or weapons isn't something I have to show, since that was done by other artists.

el coro, hey ! Nice to see you too

I hope everything is going well in Massive Black. I was actually almost on my way to drop by Massive Black when I was at GDC, would have been cool seeing how you guys work. Anyway, time was spent drinking beer

Long time since I've been posting here, but I'm gonna stay here more from now on.

Dizon, thanks ! good point too, though I'm not gonna change, these are about 2 years old and way passed approval, so I'm not gonna touch them again.

hunterkiller, thanks man. That's nice of you to say.

**timbob** · September 24th, 2008, 11:09 AM

Absolute rubbish!!!...Only joking

Looks like you've done this great work without any real effort.

**Mike Schley** · September 25th, 2008, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Joachim

mike schley, hey man, thanks. Loong time no see, that have you been up to ? I heard the Dungeon Magazine stopped printing -just web ?

Yeah, I parted ways (On good terms) with Paizo back in '05 and WOTC pulled back the licenses for Dungeon/Dragon magazines last year. They have since begun publishing both mags as PDF supplements to their D&D Digital Initiative.

Keeping super busy myself since the Paizo days. Mostly freelance illustration and cartography.

**gustavo desimone** · September 26th, 2008, 06:06 AM

I like the color palette of your paintings

**SashaMichelson** · October 10th, 2008, 11:24 AM

Keep it up Joachim! The looks are great. The feeling is great. War on Green Planet

**Capprotti** · October 10th, 2008, 03:18 PM

Good to see you back man! These concepts are great! A ton of fun to look at.

**dCepT** · October 10th, 2008, 07:39 PM

Hey Joachim! Takk for sist

I was at your talk on GameCamp last month! Was cool to get a face to the name! (I'm Fredrik, the short dude of the concept artists... heh... )

Was nice to get an insight in you guys' process of art direction!

Dig the pictures on here! Interesting pallettes.. hehe.. spotted some purple clouds in here... same as you did on the enviro you demonstrated on..... makes for a nice contrast to green hues you got goin' on there!

Keep posting!

dC/Fredrik

**Joachim** · October 12th, 2008, 11:29 AM

Hey guys. thanks again !

timbob, thanks man, means a lot. Actually the effort lied in finding what the client wanted more than actually painting the paintings.

Mike Schley, hey great to hear that you are doing well and found your ways through the freelance market. Do you do anything with the Paizo guys ? Are they the same company with the same people ?

gustavo desimone, thank you !

SashaMichelson, thanks

yeah war is nice

Capprotti, thx, good to be back, it´s been a while. Damn those years fly by quickly.

dcept, heisann ! Skriver på norsk jeg. Ja husker deg

Var du på dyret pils etterpå ? Ja, hehe, fargene på den ene her er jo ikke så langt ifra hva jeg gjorde på foredraget, tror jeg gjorde den litt mer blå ? ...var uvant å snakke mens jeg tegnet så husker ikke så godt hvordan det så ut

Thanks