Ever wondered how a game like Arkheim - Realms at War is made? What is the journey of an idea before it makes it to the game? How are bugs being fixed? Who creates the beautiful images? How do we keep players entertained? And - who are the human beings behind this project? The Arkheim - Realms at War Team invites you to take a peek behind the scenes. Today we want you to meet Consept Artist Simon!
Hi Simon. First of all, tell us something about yourself. What is your background and how did you end up in Travian Games?
Moin! Well I have always liked drawing and painting and so after finishing my carpentry apprenticeship I studied Art, worked freelance for some time and became a Concept Artist at Travian Games working on Arkheim. Prior to the Covid Pandemic I worked at Travian every day, commuting by train and bus.
How did you contribute to Arkheim - Realms at War during its Beta and Early Access stage?
I contribute by drawing, painting and sculpting. As a Concept Artist it is rewarding to see your ideas come to life as Units, UI Banners, Illustrations and Marketing Key Arts as well as in 3D objects such as buildings or map pieces. During development I got to be part of all of the above and so there is a little bit of my work in every corner of the game. All in all, art production is of course a team effort. [Shout out to the artists Cooper, Volbert and Veltri.]
The art style of Arkheim - Realms at War differs quite a lot from the other titles of Travian Games. Where do you get your inspiration when creating narrative art for Arkheim?
The inspiration for the narrative art was drawn from legendary Artists such as Frazetta and Sargent as far as style is concerned. Specific themes we derived from Nature as well as Architecture. In the case of the Elves (who are not your usual harp playing, unicorn riding applicants for beauty pageants) you can spot influences from Art Nouveau and your own garden.
What is your personal favorite artwork in Arkheim so far and why?
As the Artstyle in Arkheim happens to be my natural way of painting (which Lead Artist Simon Cooper eloquently called “Digital Impressionism”) I really can’t name one single actual favourite piece. Instead I would point out that the work on the Units and the Landscapes of Arkheim brought me the most joy.
Tell us about your Work/Life balance: How do you spend your free time away from the drawing board?
I am an Artist. There is no time away from the drawing board. Jokes aside, I am interested in all sorts of philosophical ideas, I visit galleries, do sports and play the piano.
And lastly, do you have a message for our readers out there?
In Art you gotta be prepared for feedback, and so is the Arkheim Game Team. Keep it coming!
Do you have any more question for Simon? Let us know in the comments below!
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